A new Missouri law allowing employers to continue paying some people with disabilities less than minimum wage has positioned the state at the forefront of a national debate over disability rights in the workplace.
As debate over sheltered workshops heats up, Missouri doubles down on paying people with disabilities less
Posted inEnvironment, Local Government
Kansas City declared a climate emergency. Now what?
It’s been 13 years since Kansas City, Missouri, passed its first climate protection plan. At the top of the list: drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Now the city is preparing a new plan, and emission reductions remains a focus. In 2008, the city set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 30% below 2000 […]
Posted inLocal Government
Want to serve on a Wichita board or commission? Here’s how.
In Wichita, civic boards and commissions have a litany of powers. The Metropolitan Area Planning Commission — considered the most powerful advisory board in the city — can recommend whether a residential block can be turned into a parking lot. The Board of Park Commissioners can recommend that the city acquire new land for a park. […]
Posted inEconomics
Kansas City is developing a winter plan for unhoused people. Will it be enough?
The city, in partnership with nonprofits and social service groups, is exploring solutions that include expanding capacity at shelters, building pallet homes and improving coordination among city services and resources in the community.
Posted inLocal Government
Taking KC Back needed 13,700 signatures per council member to start a recall. They collected fewer than 4,000 for each.
Even with a sharp increase in donations, the political action committee Taking KC Back has again failed to prompt a recall election in Kansas City, Missouri. The group filed affidavits with the Kansas City clerk’s office in late September, giving notice of its effort to recall Mayor Quinton Lucas and at-large council members Katheryn Shields, […]
Posted inLocal Government
Wichita’s boards and commissions underrepresent women and people of color. Here’s how the city plans to change that.
When Shala Perez began serving on city, county, state and national advisory boards in 2009, she was often the only woman and person of color in the room. Having worked in law enforcement — including the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, the Bel Aire Police Department and the Mulvane Police Department — Perez was accustomed to this. But […]
Posted inEducation
There’s a Kansas substitute teacher shortage. Here’s how you can get a license.
Update: On Jan. 12, 2022, the Kansas State Board of Education declared a state of emergency and created a less restrictive path to becoming a substitute teacher. With that action, the board established a Temporary Emergency Authorized License (TEAL), which will generally allow anyone over the age of 18 with a high school diploma to […]
Posted inEducation
No ACT score? Many KC-area colleges will admit you, and financial aid options are improving
In the Kansas City area, some universities dropped testing requirements for admissions before the pandemic because of concerns about equity and access. Others plan to continue changes made during the public health crisis.
Posted inLea en Español
Haga que su voz se escuche: Cómo participar en las reuniones del gobierno del condado de Sedgwick
Un presupuesto anual de $484 millones. $45 millones en mejoras capitales anuales. Más de $100 millones en fondos de ayuda para la recuperación del COVID. Estos son los dólares en los que un residente del Condado de Sedgwick puede influir al participar en las reuniones de la Comisión del Condado de Sedgwick. A continuación, le […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Local Government
Have your voice heard: How to participate in Sedgwick County government meetings
A $484 million annual budget. $45 million in annual capital improvements. Over $100 million in COVID relief funds. These are the dollars a Sedgwick County resident can influence by participating in Sedgwick County Commission meetings. Here’s how. Where to find Sedgwick County meeting times and locations The county posts meeting dates, times and locations up […]